Episode 313: “Arrow on the Doorpost” Recap

There was an overwhelming response for last week’s episode, with lots of people even calling it the best episode of the series. That’s awesome, hopefully the season closes out with a bang and everyone’s really excited for Season 4. Only a handful of episodes left!

Tonight’s episode starts with Rick, Daryl, and Hershel at an abandoned grain depot or some kind of industrial area. Rick and Daryl move silently into the complex while Hershel waits in the car. We see that Hershel has a gun and ammo strapped to his thigh just above his amputation, so these guys are obviously expecting some serious s**t.

Rick walks into an empty office and finds… The Governor. He says they have a lot to talk about and… CREDITS.

The Governor removes his gun belt and asks Rick do to the same. Rick’s willing to holster his cannon but won’t take the belt off. As the Governor sits down we see a pistol taped the side of the table near his seat.

Daryl reports back to Hershel that the Governor’s already there and says it doesn’t feel right. Just then his truck arrives with Andrea, Martinez, and Milton. Andrea is surprised to learn that the Governor is already there but Martinez is not. Andrea heads inside and it’s clear that she set up the meeting. Rick mentions all the damage the Governor’s done and alludes to Maggie. The Governor doesn’t deny it and it looks like this is all news to Andrea. Finally.

Outside the meeting, Daryl and Martinez butt heads and Hershel cautions peace seeing as how if things don’t go well between the Governor and Rick, they’ll likely be at war soon enough.

Back at the prison, the group is taking stock of their weapons and setting up defensive stations. Merle wants them to roll in and take out the Governor while they know where he is. Glenn is unwilling to risk their friends’ lives in a crossfire. He says it’s his decision and it’s final. Glenn, stepping up.

At the apocalypse peace summit, Rick presents the Governor with a map, and how they should split the area using the river. The Governor doesn’t even consider it. He insists that Andrea leave, and Rick has no objections on that front: he came to talk to the Governor.

Rick and the Governor have an exchange, feeling each other out. Rick calls out the Governor for not taking responsibility for Merle, the Governor calls Rick out on failing to see that Shane was sleeping with Lori. Then he offers whiskey.

While the Governor gets his whiskey, the guys out front discuss the future and how they need to record history. This gets interrupted by a small herd of walkers. Martinez and Daryl bond over macho one-upmanship, killing walkers.

Martinez and Daryl both accept that the talks are just for show, and they’ll be fighting each other before too long.

Milton sits down with Hershel and they discuss his leg and the bite he got. Milton asks to see Hershel’s stump (awkward) but Hershel refuses. He keeps the moment light by making a joke about Milton having to buy him a drink first. Life tip: the “You’ll have to buy me a drink first” line works every time.

The Governor tells Rick about how his wife died. How he was working a job he didn’t even like when he got a call that his wife had died in an accident. Rick at least seems sympathetic.

Back at the prison, Merle is packing up. He says he can’t just leave his brother out there. Glenn refuses to let him out. Glenn tackles Merle, Maggie gets a chokehold, and Michonne grabs Merle’s stump blade. Before much can happen Beth fires a gun in the air, bringing the tussle to a stop.

Meanwhile, Hershel walks over to Andrea, who’s sitting outside the office where Rick and the Governor are, at a loss. She tells Hershel that she got kicked out and asks what happened with Maggie. Hershel just says “He’s a sick man.” Andrea is on the verge of tears. “What am I going to do now? I can’t go back there.” Hershel says “You’re family. You belong with us.”

Inside the Governor is laying out the scenario: his people may be less experienced but there are more of them. It will come down to the last man if they don’t end it. He makes his offer: Give up Michonne and it’s over.

At the prison, Merle tries to appeal to the soldier in Michonne. He wants her to join him in a quick hit on Woodbury. These people aren’t soldiers, he says. In and out. Kill the Governor and leave. Michonne does not take him up on the offer.

After Michonne walks off, Maggie goes outside to see Glenn. He apologizes to her for not giving her space after Woodbury. She says she never needed space, she just needed him to see her. They hug, and kiss, and then Glenn notices the horde of undead people pushing at the gates and says “I can’t do this” so they go inside and, well, this is a family site.

Rick questions the Governor on why he would risk his entire town and legacy on one woman. The Governor simply tells him he could save everyone. Rick questions how he could trust the Governor to even hold up his end of the deal. The Governor says he doesn’t care about Rick and his group and leaves it up to Rick. He gives him two days to think about it and leaves. Andrea goes with the Woodbury group.

At Woodbury, the Governor tells Martinez to get ready to kill everyone except Michonne when they deliver her. Milton overhears and the plan doesn’t seem to sit well with him. The Governor once again placates him. Or does he?

The Governor then runs into Andrea and thanks her for setting the meeting up. He tells her that Rick is considering his terms. When she asks what the terms are, the Governor just smiles. Andrea says “Hope it works out” and walks off.

On the flip side, at the prison, Rick is telling the group that the Governor wants the prison and wants them dead for what they did. “We’re going to war.” Fink’s “Warm Shadow” plays. Rick heads outside.

Hershel follows him out. He says that Merle and Michonne want to fight, that he and Carol want to run. But if they decide to stay and fight, that’s what they’ll do. Rick tells Hershel the real offer. When Hershel asks Rick why he didn’t tell the others he says that they need to be scared so they’ll accept the Michonne deal. Hershel says that Michonne saved him, Carl, Glenn, Maggie. That she’s earned her place. Rick agrees. So why tell Hershel? “Because, you can talk me out of it.” Hershel is quiet.

The camera pans up onto the prison yard and we fade to credits.

So the big question tonight is, WILL RICK GIVE UP MICHONNE? It’s not that he would be giving up Michonne to stop an attack, he would be giving up Michonne to POSSIBLY stop an attack. I have to believe he’s smart enough to not believe it would actually work, and good enough to not sacrifice Michonne. I guess we’ll see next week…

What does Andrea do now? Do you feel any worse for her? She truly has no place she belongs and I think she realizes she chose poorly in siding with the Governor over Michonne.

Are we happy that Glenn and Maggie are back together? They’re the hope for the future…

Will Milton ultimately turn against Woodbury?

Will Tyreese and his group play a bigger role next week? I hope so.

See you next week, same time, same place!